Distinctive ring tones prompted by call urgency and context

ABSTRACT

Devices, methods and systems for enhanced ringing features on communications terminals. Flexible user-established rules, customized in a subscriber profile database, enable the ring-tone to vary based on caller-id, caller priority, call-urgency (as determined by caller), call context and so forth. Call set-up logic applies the profile rules prior to completing the call set-up. “Buzz-tones” extend the basic distinctive ringing feature to the “silent” mode that is currently available on cell-phones, which is of particular utility to subscribers with hearing disabilities. Other kinds of alerts (audio/motion/visual) like flashing colors on a display, moving pictures and the like, and any combination of notification modes, are contemplated by alternative embodiments.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to telephones, cordless telephones, cell phones, pagers, and other electrical or radio terminals, and in particular to distinctive modes of notification, such as ring tones, that indicate call urgency or other context of an incoming call or message, together with systems and methods for selecting and implementing the ring tones.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A communications terminal, such as a cellular phone or a paging receiver, generates a ring tone (calling tone) or vibrates upon receipt of an incoming call or message, such as a text or an instant message (“IM”), to notify the user of the call receipt. A mobile wireless terminal such as a mobile telephone, for example, has a “terminating ring function” for informing the terminal user of an incoming voice call from other mobile wireless terminals or an incoming data call from various information providing servers. The terminating ring function includes various modes such as a vibration mode or a melody mode that outputs a ring tone to a receiving terminal.

A conventional mobile wireless terminal typically generates a single terminating ring tone designated by the user upon receipt of each incoming call. Mobile wireless terminals store a multiplicity of tones, melodies, or other modes, in its internal memory. Many cell phones support downloading melodies from a melody providing server via the Internet. The downloaded tones can also be stored in the phone's memory.

Not surprisingly, then, distinctive ringing has become a hugely popular feature with consumer and business telephony customers. Present day solutions support caller ID information that triggers the distinctive ringing. The distinctive ring is either network-actuated, i.e., the network sends the appropriate signal to the device, or is actuated by software on the client device.

On mobile phones, for example, the device interprets caller id information associated with the incoming call signal to play an appropriate ring-tone. A user may group calling party contacts and associate one or more ring-tones with each group or person in the device's memory.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is further described in the detailed description that follows, by reference to the noted drawing, by way of non-limiting examples of embodiments of the present invention, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a specific embodiment of a notification mode system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, the present invention, through one or more of its various aspects, embodiments and/or specific features or sub-components, is intended to bring out one or more of the advantages that will be evident from the description. The present invention is described with frequent reference to phones or cell phones. It is understood that a phone is merely an example of a specific embodiment of the present invention, which is directed generically to communication terminals, mobile communication equipment and devices, together with attendant networks, systems and methods within the scope of the invention. The terminology, therefore, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

The present invention provides enhanced ringing features. In one or more of its various embodiments, the present invention provides:

-   (a) a more flexible user-established set of rules, customized in a     subscriber profile database, that enables the ring-tone to vary     based on caller-id, caller priority, call-urgency (as determined by     caller), call context (e.g., is the user currently filtering     calls?), and so forth. -   (b) call set-up logic that applies the profile rules prior to     completing the call set-up. The call set-up logic, for example,     enables the subscriber's phone to prompt the calling party to     indicate the urgency of the call and to process the caller's reply     to the prompt to select the alert or notification mode indicated by     the reply. -   (c) an ability to play “buzz-tones” to extend the basic distinctive     ringing feature to the “silent” mode that is currently available on     cell-phones. For example, one buzz may indicate a low-priority call,     whereas a buzz-buzz sequence indicates a high-priority incoming     call. This feature is of particular utility to subscribers with     hearing disabilities.

Other kinds of alerts (audio/motion/visual) like flashing colors on a display, moving pictures (such as an animated cartoon displaying agitation or a sense of urgency) and the like, and any combination of notification modes, are contemplated by alternative embodiments.

Advantages of the present invention include:

-   1. A simple web interface to input user profile data, policies and     preferences. The same profile applies across different modes of     telephony such as wireline/wireless communication, text and instant     messaging, paging, and so forth. An alternative embodiment provides     an Interactive Voice Recognition (“IVR”) system for profile data     input. The profile can be applied to any type or mode of incoming     communication, even in conjunction with call rerouting applications.     For example, if the call disposition of a particular subscriber is     to always forward to voice-mail, the profile applies to the alert     for the receipt of voicemail. Likewise, for call-forwarding, the     appropriate notification mode actuates at the end-use terminal of     the subscriber, even if the terminal is a wireline POTS phone. -   2. Call set-up logic with a highly flexible profile that extends to     an arbitrary limit the basic caller-id-triggered notification. That     is, the complexity of the notification protocols depends mainly on     the ease of setup with the interface, and on the     complexity-tolerance of the subscriber, not on any particular     technical limitation. In principle, the contingency and contextual     factors that differentiate ringing, and the ringing or other     notification modes themselves, are readily extendable beyond the     examples described herein. -   3. Ring-tones to associate buzz-tones, LED flashing, and other kinds     of alerts with pre-defined incoming call categories. -   4. Auditory, tactile and and/or visual cues as to the urgency of the     incoming call assure that the subscriber easily detects and     recognizes urgent or important calls.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a specific embodiment of a notification mode system of the present invention. The system involves three components, broadly speaking. Subscriber related elements are indicated by 100-series identifying numerals, application server elements are indicated by 200 series identifying numerals, and network/routing elements are indicated by series 300 identifying numbers.

Profile service 110 presents a web-based interface (or a device-specific client) 112 to user 120, represented by a mobile phone terminal. User 120 establishes a priority grouping for each contact. Priorities may be as broad as emergency/medium/low, for example, or may specify frequent callers such as kids, husband, wife, office, and so forth, and, moreover, priority categories can be cross referenced to callers in the profile database to further hone the nature of the incoming call.

For example, a matrix position identified as kids/emergency is assigned a notification mode such as loud ringing together with buzzing or vibrating and LED flashing, and indicates an injury requiring attention or transportation, whereas husband/low is assigned a melody or forwarded to voicemail and indicates an addition to a shopping list or a DVD rental request.

The user establishes a set of ring-tone identifiers 114 as discussed above, and defines ring disposition rules with, for example, simple if/then statement logic. That is, IF caller priority=MEDIUM, and caller urgency=HIGH, THEN ring-disposition=IMPORTANT. Ring-disposition rules determined by user availability are also contemplated.

Application server 210 hosts application logic 212 to process profile rules 112 and 14 and determine the caller urgency. To determine the urgency, logic 212 prompts the caller by playing a message to the caller: “The party you have called is currently busy—please indicate if this is an important call by pressing 1 for Yes, or 2 for No.”

Alternative embodiments use an IVR system to allow the calling party to just speak YES or NO. The called party can customize the message. To contacts designated as IMPORTANT, for instance, the prompt plays a message to the caller such as “I'm currently busy, but if you indicate that the call is important, I will step out to handle this call.”

Application logic 212 accepts network triggers for incoming call 316 either through Parlay Gateway 312 or directly through Softswitch 314. Standard PSTN elements to allow the call to be routed to voice mail 318 or directly to subscriber 120. The signaling protocol to convey the ring-disposition to the subscriber depends on the nature of end-user device 120.

In a standard PSTN device, end-device 120 does not possess any intelligence. The PSTN SSP, therefore, is responsible for producing the distinctive rings through existing mechanisms for distinctive ringing.

In a mobile network, mobile device 120 hosts the application intelligence to select the ring-tone, based on the incoming ring disposition 212, conveyed through the signaling protocols over the air interface between network 310 and mobile device 120. If the ring-tones are hosted on client device 120, a setup procedure allows a subscriber to “tag” different ring-tones with incoming ring dispositions 212.

For example, a code representing the ring-disposition decision from network 310 is appended to the calling party ID in the call setup message. Upon the reception and decoding of this information, the client will then be able to alert user 120 with appropriate methods and signals associated with pre-established ring-disposition 212.

Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) terminals having sufficient intelligence operate analogously to the mobile device case. If, however, the endpoint is a dumb handset attached to a VoIP interface, the interface, rather than a central office, includes the hardware and software necessary to generate ring patterns.

Although the invention has been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the words that have been used are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in all its aspects. Although the invention has been described with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed; rather, the invention extends to all functionally equivalent technologies, structures, methods and uses such as are within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A communication system comprising: means for creating a user profile having user information, policies, and preferences, including notification mode preferences; means for prompting a source of incoming communication to indicate the context of the incoming communications; means for accepting a response to the prompt; means for selecting a notification mode for the incoming communication based on the response to the prompt and the user profile; and means for actuating the selected notification mode.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mobile network terminal and wherein the means for actuating the selected notification mode resides in the terminal.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for creating a user profile comprises a Web interface.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for creating a user profile comprises an IVR interface.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for creating a user profile comprises a speech recognition interface.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for creating a user profile comprises a database that stores user information, policies, and preferences.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the database further stores notification mode preferences.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for prompting a source of incoming communication to indicate the context of the incoming communications comprises delivering a message to the source that requests a reply from source, which reply indicates the context.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the incoming communication comprises voice.
 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the incoming communication comprises VoIP.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the incoming communication comprises data.
 12. The system of claim 10, wherein the data comprises text.
 13. The system of claim 11, wherein the text comprises an instant message.
 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification mode comprises ringing.
 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification mode comprises vibration.
 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification mode comprises a visual alert.
 17. The system of claim 15, wherein the visual alert comprises animation.
 18. The system of claim 15, wherein the visual alert comprises flashing light.
 19. The system of claim 15, wherein the notification mode comprises a combination of two or more aural, visual and tactile alerts.
 20. A method for alerting a user of a communications terminal of an incoming communications, the method comprising the steps of: creating a user profile having user information, policies, and preferences, including alert mode preferences; prompting an incoming communications source to indicate the context of the incoming communications; accepting a response to the prompt; selecting an alert mode for the incoming communication based the response to the prompt and the user profile; and actuating the selected alert mode.
 21. A system to notify a user of a communications terminal of an incoming communications, the system comprising: a network component to route the incoming communication; a communications terminal component to receive the routed incoming communication; a user profile component to provide a user profile, including user notification mode preferences; and an application server component to prompt the source of the incoming communication to indicate the context of the incoming communication, to process the reply to the prompt, and to select a notification mode to the user based on the user profile and the reply.
 22. A network communication terminal comprising: means for creating a terminal user profile having user information, policies, and preferences, including notification mode preferences; means for selecting a notification mode for the incoming communication, whereby the notification mode indicates the context of an incoming communication as determined by input from a source of an incoming call and the user profile; and means for actuating the selected notification mode.
 23. The terminal of claim 22, further comprising a communication system that comprises: means for prompting the source of incoming communication to indicate the context of the incoming communications; and means for accepting a response to the prompt, whereby the notification mode indicates the context of the incoming communication on the basis of the response to the prompt and the user profile.
 24. The terminal of claim 23, wherein the means for prompting and the means for accepting a response reside elsewhere in network other than in the terminal.
 25. The terminal of claim 22, wherein the user profile resides in the terminal.
 26. The terminal of claim 22, wherein the user profile resides elsewhere in the network other than in the terminal. 